Automatic air-brake lock



March 5, 1929.

A. HAYES AUTOIATIC AIR BRAKE LOCK Filed Nov. 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, 19 29. A. HAYES 1,704,320

AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE LOCK Filed Nov. 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 5, 1929,. A. HAYES AUTOIATIC AIR BRAKE LOCK Filed Nov. 25, 1927 Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT ormcs,

3mm nuns. or Femin ne, new 1mm AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE Lock.

Application filed November 23, um. semi Ho. sauce,

This invention relates to automatic air brake locks applicable to railway cars equipped With air brakes.

The main object of the inventirm is to provide an air brake lock which may be rezulily attached to any car having a conventional form of air brake and air cylinder for controlling the same, and which, when installed, Will enable the engineer to look the brakes in set position from the engine cab, or to release the brakes when so set.

Additional objects are to dispense Wilihthe operation of the usual retraining valves of the brake cylinders of ears, in descending grades; to dispense with the necessity of setting the hand brakes on cars left on sidings; to eliminate the running out of slack in the train lines on grades, to obviate the danger of leaky train lines in the mnnipu' lation of brakes on grades, and to ensure a sufficient air pressure in the train line ior the control of the train on grades, before the brakes ean be released. 7

In the drawing F'gure 1 is a longitudinal vertieal section through the assembly constituting'myimproved brake lock; i

Figure 2 is a horizontal section;

Figure 3 a transverse section;

Figure at is a detail of the slide valve mechanism mounted within the main air e ylinde r i Figure :3 is an assembly view of the elements of the inventim as mounted in eonneotion with the air line and brake cylinder of near.

My invention is designed for use in eonneetion with the ordinary broke cylinder A and truin air line B ofa railroad leer and cooperating brake ineohonism (not shown).

In carrying out the invention I provide a main operatine cylinder 1 with two spaced pistons 2 and 3 recipmmtingly mounted therein upon the eonneeting rod 4 which has a stem extension 5 extended out through the neck 6 and spring adjustment plug 8 incorporated in the head 7 of the cylinder 1. The neck 6 is threadedintemally and so adwpted to threzidedly engage the enteriorly thneaded, tubular ndjnstment plug 8. A coiled tension spring 9 is seated over the stem 5 within the cylinder 1, being braced between the piston 3 and the inner end of the plug 8. Thus the pistons 2 and 3 are thrust inwendly or towards the opposite cylinder head 1 b the adjustment of the screw ug B. Annir,

port 11 leads from a point WllJhll'l the cylinder 1 between lille two pistons 2 and 3,.

through the eomwoting' block 12 and into the lower brake looking cylinder 13. A slide valve 14,hnving a port 15, i'ssliilahly monnted within- :1, recessed sent 16 countersunk in the Wall o'fthe cylinder 1 immediately above the port 11,:md so thetat a certain lioint of the rel-apronstory travel of the valve 14;, the ports 11 and 15 will register. The yalve M hasun upstanding lug 17; A jacket 18 is incorporated around the rod 4 and the 911th 19 thereof are brought down laterally over the sides of the lug 17 and are pinned loosely thereto as shown aUEAO, Thejneket IE is pumped to the 'rod dz ht points 21, A loop sprung 22 is pmnedlut itsiends .asohownet 23 to the under side 0f the rod of between the ends of the aeket lfiytand the Central portion or this swirl is fastened at 24 t0 the m; or the leg 17. umhhe rodiearriw the ynlye 14 with it in its nmwments, Willi the springflfl holds the witlv tightly Within its seat 16" i i Depending from the air line Edith? relatively large-pipe Q: and the fimflali Pl 26 with a hleerl r mire iiiwconreetstherylifi der- 1 throngh the head with 13 ap pefiii- An extension 28 mime ,pipe is led into the cylinder lYBt the point 29, WWW

pistons 2 and All annular he M so is formed within the pipe 25 imm diately above KIhBiPQlRt of entrmnee o the PM 12 and a poppentwvolne 31 is fi ted wiil igfllh lower petition of theiprim 25 WMHS .wltlmpwl to seat itself upwardly ugoinfi thesewt 30- 'The lower end of the ipiiipe :2 i fl fifld interiorly and the tubular Mi l tment plug32 is nfi ed :MhQ im-i A guide stem 33 isextemded Irma rthfl ii 121F 3 dow through plug fiflmmi a eeiled tensio spring 34 1s miedievwwtl .swmfifi an braeed between the 1 mm 31 and the npperend ofmlae plug 32, thereby holding t e y aflmf l in ermine i se under on ndjiwtnble spring WQ W Q I v the valve 31 is sea d, i w mw m the pipe 2.6,ibut whenwn d, me air may peas ithmughithlfi Q IPBQUM l WW8 upon the lace watonfl, :W Ll brea h .ndmf th valve or wessu e through holding spring 9. \Vithin the brake locking cylinder '13 is mounted the piston with its rod 36 extended down through the neck 87. A coiled tension spring 38 is sea ed over the rod 36 within the cylinder 13 and is braced between the piston 35 and the gland 39 which closes the neck 37. The lower end of the rod 36 is pivoted at 4.0 to the end of a latch operating lever 41, while the opposite end of said lever is pivoted at 42 to the latch 43, the beveled end 44 of which engages the rack 45 formed along the brake rod 46 of the conventional brake cylinder A. The lever 41 is fulcrmned at Q? to a bracke' 48 extended from the car frame 4h). Loops 50 extended from the bracket around the latch 4&3, serve to slidably retain the said latch in position. The cylinder 13 is provided with a bleeder 'alve 51 near its top.

In use and operation the spring Sl, below the valve 31, is adjusted through the plug 32 to sustain an air pressure of seventy-two pounds upon'the valve 31, this being two pounds more than the standard train pressure of seventy pounds. The air brake is set in usual manner by admitting compressed air into the brake cylinder A, which thrusts out the rod 16 which is locked in its outthrust position by the latch 43 engaging the rack 45. By the same action the oiston is locked in set position. The upper portion of the pipe 25 and the space between the two pistons 2 and 3 at all times carry the normal train line pressure of seventy pounds. The brake is released by in creasing the train line pressure to a point beyond seventy-two pounds, whereupon the valve 31 is forced down, thereby opening the pipe 26 and allowing more highly compressed air to flow into the cylinder 1 between the head 10 and the piston 2. This forces the pistons .2 and 3, as well as the slide valve 14, over towards the head 7, and when the port 15 of the valve 1 1 aligns itself with the port 11, the highly compressed air flows through said port down into the cyl inder 13, forces the piston 35 downwardly a and actuates the lever 41 to raise the latch 43 and thus release the brake controlled through the cylinder A, the mechanism of which is of conventional form and is, therefore, not here shown in detail;

When the engineer sets the brakes and desires to leave them locked, he moves his brake valve handle back to running or position, and in such positions the train line will not overcharge with air pressure, the excess air pressure will escape through the usual valves, and the latch 43' will hold the brakes set. When the engineer desires to release the brake, he moves his brake valve handle to full release position and in this position the main reservoir pressure (about ninety-pounds) is thrown into the train line, thereby overcharging it and forcing the valve 31 with the result before described.

W hen the engineer moves the brake valve handle back to running position, the

valve 31 closes and the highly compressed air between the said valve and the piston 2 escapes through the bleeder valve 27 which is left open. Then the spring 9 forces the pistons 52 3 and the valve 1 1: back towarrs the head 10, thus closing the ports 1 and 15. The compressed air in cylinder 13 escapes through the bleedcr valve 51., thus allowing the spring 38 to force the pis- 55 upwardly for the operation of the lever d1 and releasing of the latch 33.

in case the brake is set and locked, if ncccssary the brake can be released by a hand lever from either side of the car.

lihile have here described and shown a specific embodiment of my invention, the minor details of construction may be varied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In air braliie meclninisrn and in conn bination with the air line, brake cylinder mechanism and brake rod of a car, an operating cylinder and the brake locking cylinder connected by an air duct entering the operating cylinder through. the side wall thereof, the operating cylinder being formed with a slide valve seat at the point of ontrance of the air duct, two pistons mounted in the operating cylinder in spaced relation upon a connecting rod, a slide valve seated. in the slide valve seat of the operating cylinder and connected with the said piston connecting rod so as to move therewith, the said slide valve having a port adapted to register with the said connecting air duct of the two cylinders, a pipe extended orn the train line across an. end of the opm. cylinder, an adjustable poppet valve in the open end of the said extension, a pipe with bleedor valve connecting the said a lender] pipe at the poppet valve with the adjacent end of the operating cylinder, a pipe coxuindnicating with the train line and entering the operating cylinder at a po' u between the two pistons thereof, resilient means for normally forcing the two pistons and slide valve of the operating cylinder over towards the cylinder head through which the said bleedcr valved connecting pipe opens and so as to close the said communicating air duct, a piston in the said brake locking cylinder, a rod extended from the said piston outthrough an endof the brake locking cylinder, and releasable locking mechanism connecting the said rod with the brake rod of the said bralre cylinder.

2. In air brake mechanism and in combination with the line, brake cylinder and brake rod of a car, an operating and a brake locking cylinder connected with an Ill) air duct, a coniiecting rod within the operating cylinder, two pistons in spaced relation upon the connecting rod and spanning the point of entrance of the said air ductof the two cylinders a slide valve over the said point of entrance of the air duct into the operating cylinder, the said valve being connected with the said connecting rod to travel therewith and having a port adapted to register With the air duct at a point of travel of the valve, an extension from the air line into the operating cylinder intermediate the two pistons thereof, an extension from the air line into one end of the operating cylinder, a pressure valve controlling the How of air from the air line through the extension leading into the end of the operating cylinder, a piston and piston rod within the said brake locking cylinder mechanism operatively connecting the extended end of the said piston rod with the said brake rod of the brake cylinder, and

resilient means for normally holding the pistons of the said cylinders in their inoperative positions.

3. In air brake mechanism and in combination with the air line and brake cylinder of a car, an operatin cylinder having an air portthrough one s1 e and communicating with the tram line through another side and at one end, two pistons mounted in spaced end of the cylinder, the said valve being adapted to yield under super-normal air pressure from the trainline to admit air into the end of thecylinder, a slide valve seated over the air port through the cylinder Wall and moving with the said pistons and connecting rod to open or close said port, and mechanism extended between the said air )ort of the operating cylinder and the saic brake cylinder, the said mechanism being adapted to control the said brake cylinder and being controlled in its turn by a the flow of air through the said air port of the operating cylinder. i

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALBERT HAYES; 

